Varalakshmi Vratam

Varalakshmi Vrata is a festival to propitiate the goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu, one of the Hindu Trinity. Goddess Varalakshmi is one who grants boons (Varam). It is celebrated on Poornima in the month of Sravana, also called Sawan in Hindi and Aadi in Tamil which corresponds to the Gregorian months of July-August.

Varalakshmi Vrata is performed by married woman for the well being of all the family members, especially husband, to get progeny. It is believed that worshiping Goddess Varalakshmi on this day is equivalent to worshiping Ashtalaksmi - the eight goddesses of Wealth, Earth, Learning, Love, Fame, Peace, Pleasure, and Strength. As health, wealth and prosperity depend upon the rhythmic play of these forces, the worship of goddess Lakshmi is said to be to obtain these three boons.

Legend:

On one occasion, Goddess Parvati and Lord Parameswaran were playing a game of paracmapatham. Goddess Parvati was winning game after game by the rules, but Lord Parameswaran is said to have claimed the victory at each game, wantonly, to goddess Parvati's intense chagrin. So goddess Parvati demanded to have an umpire and one Chitranemi, a creation of Lord Parameswaran, was chosen. As an underling of Lord Parameswaran, he sided with his master most unjustly. This provoked goddess Parvati's anger and she cursed Chitranemi that he should become a leper for discharging his duty in this most unfair manner.

When Chitranemi begged goddess Parvati's forgiveness and Lord Parameswaran added his entreaties to it, she is said to have relented and modified the curse by adding that he would be cured of his leprosy by observing the Vara Lakshmi Vrata. By doing this, Chitranemi was, it is said, rid of the loathsome disease. Subsequently it came to be emulated by married women who sought boons (vary) for the health, wealth and knowledge for the entire family. In some cases, women prayed for being blessed with children.